Pulaski man finds historic war medal on farm

SOMERSET, Ky. (WKYT) - James Dodson has quite the collection of this and that; an old ball and chain from Alcatraz and old coins he found on his farm. But, it’s what he found during a recent trip picking up storm debris that has this retired electric lineman buzzing with excitement.

“I saw the green stuff there, It was like a piece of glass,” Dodson says of spotting something unusual from his tractor when cleaning up his farm at the end of Ringold Road near Somerset.

Instead, it was literally a small piece of buried treasure.

“So when I brought it home, she (his wife) said it ‘has writing on the back of it. That’s a piece of copper,’” said Dodson.

It says “presented by the city of Perth Amboy to the boys who answered the call of 1917 USA.,” telling him that the medal was probably given to a serviceman who had just returned from from the first World War.

The medal was found in a part of Pulaski County known as "Oil Center." Dodson says it’s very remote. The closest house is actually about a quarter mile away.

Perth Amboy, New Jersey, is more than 700 miles from Somerset. Dodson says he wants to know who the medal belonged to.

“That’s what we’re trying to track down and see. What category, the Navy? Marines?” he said.

Finding the medal may have solved one mystery. Finding its owner could be a much bigger one.

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